October 16, 2012
SCRIPTURE: Matthew 4:12-17
OBSERVATIONS
1. No explanation is given why Jesus left for Galilee after His cousin John was arrested. Was He fleeing, hiding from the authorities? Was He beginning His mission from the north and working His way down? v.17 suggests that He is beginning His mission. And the quote from Isaiah 9:1-2 suggests that this is all part of the plan.
2. Jesus arrival brings light to those who walk (live) in darkness. His appearance is like the first signs of sunrise after a long, dark night. This is a poetic way of saying that Jesus represents hope for hopeless people. His message will lift the spirits of those who are defeated, discouraged, depressed, dying, despairing. But notice that His message starts with the word repent, which shows that the hope He brings is not just a feel good message, but gets to the root of the problem.
3. Repent (lit. change your mind, change the way you think). Stop thinking selfishly or hopelessly, for God’s better world (i.e. the kingdom of God) has (present tense, already now) come near. How has the kingdom come near? Through Jesus. He has arrived to restore Adam (humanity) to his position of authority in creation, by defeating sin, Satan, death and hell. Stop thinking like hopeless, defeated slaves of sin, Satan, death and hell. This is a message of light for those who are trapped in the dominion of darkness.
What do you notice in this passage?
APPLICATION
1. Do I experience Jesus message this way, as light and hope and victory? Have I grown so accustomed to the message that it no longer inspires hope, lifts my spirits?
2. Do I think and live like one forgiven, set free, restored to full life? To repent is not only to change the way I think, but to change the way I live (fruit in keeping with repentance).
3. It seems to me that Satan is good at his job, he still whispers and lies and discourages, and keeps me from thinking and living according to the new reality in Jesus. Every day I am tempted to settle for mediocre living, to give in to fear and doubt, to hold back from stepping out in faith with God, for God. Like Jesus, I am in a wilderness; unlike Jesus I am not standing firm. I feel as if I am living in darkness, and Jesus’ message to me (again) is repent!!!
What do you sense the Lord saying to you?
PRAYER
God, You came for me. I need to see the light again, to repent and rediscover hope. I am Yours, this world is Yours, I am forgiven, set free, filled with Your goodness. Help me to resist Satan’s lies and live like it!
Just a note, when Matthew says “kingdom of heaven”, he means the same thing that Luke means when he says “kingdom of God”. Not sure which phrase Jesus used in Aramaic, but the basic idea is the same. Since Jews wanted to avoid dishonouring God’s Name, they used substitutes. Matthew was either reflecting his own upbringing, or being sensitive to his Jewish audience.
But the bigger question remains, what is the kingdom of heaven/God?
Anyone care to suggest some answers?
Again Matthew goes back to Old Testament Scripture to make sense of the current events. He sees a move by Jesus as being foretold by Isaiah. We have seen a lot of Old Testament Scripture so far in Matthew, and we are only at Chapter 4. This makes me wonder about further prophecy in the Bible. How does it apply to past events, current events, and future events. What it does show me is that God has my life, and the life of mankind planned. I pray that God will use me according to His plan, and that I can be effective in His kingdom plan.
I also see that Jesus did not initially preach a brand new message, one that wasn’t heard before. This message of “Repent for the kingdom of heaven is near” sounds like the same message as his cousin, John the baptizer. Jesus is being bold for preaching this same message after John was thrown in jail. Is God telling me to trust him with his kingdom message? I should not worry about other’s reaction to the message of Jesus’ love. Jesus did not start out here, explaining God’s love. This was a message of “Repent” This means repent from…. but also to turn to….
In the Old Testament we hear people being urged to repent to avoid punishment. Is that what is meant here as well? We are told to repent because the kingdom of heaven is near? Does this mean repent before it is too late?
I pray that I can learn what this kingdom of heaven means? How can I live a victorious life in this kingdom? How can I live a life that is subject to the King of kings.
Observations:
Leaving Nazareth – a prophet not welcomed in His own land. They can’t see the light.
Christ fulfills what the Scriptures had said.
Jesus preached the same as what John did.
Application:
I need to also come to that Light for in that Light there is Life and Life eternal. Eyes I have and I must see and ears I have and I must hear what the Spirit says this day. The Kingdom – His Kingdom – is growing and I too must be a worker in that Kingdom. Darkness is not an option. A worker not in the vineyard is not an option. All for Jesus.
Prayer:
Spirit of the living God, fall afresh on me so that this day is truly a Lord’s day in all I do and say. A Kingdom day. Hallelujah – what a Saviour.
Spirit of the living God
Fall fresh on me
Spirit of the living God
Fall fresh on me
Break me, melt me, mold me fill me
Spirit of the living God
Fall fresh on me